A brief report of the relief operations conducted by Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, Phoenix, necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic :
- The following items were distributed to 200 families in the Phoenix area during February 2022: 1400kg rice, 200kg maize meal, 100kg fortified cereal, 1000kg pulses, 100kg assorted spices, 75kg noodles, 100kg salt, 750 litres cooking oil, 450 tinned food, 30kg soup powder, 20000 tea bags, 200kg sugar, 200 litres milk, 980 packets biscuits, 4606 nutrient fortified breakfast cereal sachets, 400 boxes matches, 400 bars of soap, 200 tubes of toothpaste, 480 adult napkins, 850kg potatoes, 850kg onions, 1200 loaves bread and 1 wheelchair.
- By prior arrangement with responsible vendors in different areas of Phoenix, 20 families (84 beneficiaries) are receiving a litre of milk and a loaf of bread three times a week.
- Fourteen families without electricity each received 9kg LP gas monthly.
- Educational Support:
- 1000 geometry boxes, 8 sets of school uniforms, 26 pairs of school shoes, stationery and 2 scientific calculators were distributed to indigent schoolchildren in Phoenix
- SMME Programme: Under its Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise rehabilitation programme seventeen indigent individuals are receiving instructions from a Driving School for their forthcoming tests and licences. One person has successfully obtained his driver’s licence. Twenty men and women are going through a three-month course in sewing and tailoring.
The Ramakrishna Clinic of South Africa – Phoenix is seeing a limited number of patients. Despite the lockdown the Clinic held 2014 consultations at the Phoenix Clinic and through primary health nurses consultations at the Ramakrishna Mzamo Home, Verulam, Ramakrishna Abalindi Home, Inanda and Verulam Day and Frail Care Centre. Four nephrology patients were medically managed and sent for dialysis 3 times weekly (37 dialysis sessions in total) under the full sponsorship of the Clinic. A group of psychiatrists and psychologists are providing counselling services to healthcare professionals and workers through telephone and telemedicine (40 sessions). Four prescription spectacles were provided free of charge to destitute patients.